The NDIS will give people more choice about the services and support they use. People will also be able to choose to manage their own funding. It’s an exciting new way of doing things that will improve the lives of thousands of people.

However people need to be confident the services they are choosing are safe and have their best interests at heart. Service providers need a clear set of rules to follow. And there needs to be a sensible system in place to fix problems if things go wrong.

On 16 February state, territory and federal disability ministers launched public consultation about quality and safeguards for the NDIS. It will be called the National Quality and Safeguards Framework.

The “Framework” will make sure rules and safety standards are the same across the country. At the moment rules about getting good support and keeping people safe differ between states and territories.

A Consultation Paper spells out what needs to change under the NDIS and choices that will need to be made about how it should work.

For example, how will the NDIS put together a register of providers to help people choose a service that is reputable and will do what they promise? How will complaints be managed under the NDIS? What sort of employee checking should be done? How involved should the NDIA, the agency involved responsible for the NDIS, be in checking that staff and providers used by people who manage their own plans are safe?

You may have other concerns. It doesn’t matter what they are, every idea is important because Every Australian Counts.

The Consultation Paper, Easy English version, Fact Sheets and more information are available online.

There is still time to make a submission – as long or as short as you like. You can answer some questions or you can get involved in an online chat.

Feedback on the NDIS Quality and Safeguarding Framework is open until 30 April.